San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-02-22

| thought / could make it easier for you
I to bear. But. oh, husband, give TO my
arms now our other child, that his
heart may not break"
Where is shey" he asked, looking
round.
Lying at the feet of your father; but
| TIE WhOree-where is her"
Il have brought him home with me
| to receive his mothers last kiss. But,
! oh, Miriama, before we go TO him, tell
me you forgive me for not keeping my
bOasttul promise and bringing him
back in safety All the way home
have been trying to think of words in
which to tell you. feared you would
hate me-"
What does my husband meanP Has
aught befallen TIE WhoreeY-and she
drew back and looked at him with a
great horror dawning in her eyes.
"Miriamal Oh, l could not help it'll"
he cried wildly, drawing her to his
arms again and hiding her face on his
breast while he went on: "He strayed
from me and fell into the sea. l saw
it from distance, and rushed to save
him-alaS, too late! He had been in
the water too long, and never breathed
again. And, oh, my beloved, the great
est part of my pain was the thought of
your anguish when you should look for
your son and find him notl But you
have me and our little daughter
No, TIE ORR; no daughter have we.
She too has been taken. The Great
Spirit Father has turned from US in
anger. How can we bear itT
For few minutes her anguish over
whelmed her; but it was soon crushed
down, for even in the first wild rush of
sorrow she remembered him, and, with
the noble selfdevotiOn of a woman who
truly loves, put her own grief aside
and strove to comfort him.
'Te ORR, would that your faithful
wife, could bear all the pain for you!
Our little ones are safe in the beautiful
spirit-land. TIE Whoree will be there
to guide the tottering steps of our little
tender blossom, and together they will
await our coming: Perhaps in the
future years other little ones may come
husband" So with infinite love and
tenderness, she gradually soothed and
cheered him.
Time swept onward till five years
had rolled by.
One oppressive hot afternoon in De-
cember Mlriama was leaning painting
against tree. Beside her lay an i'm
mense bundle of sticks which she had
just dropped from her shoulders. The
passing years had changed her much;
her smooth brown cheeks were thin,
and every feature had a delicate re-
fined look that told of sorrow battled
with nobly and patiently. Her great
melancholy eyes, in the depths of
which the bitter tears had slowly
gathered, were fixed with gaze that
saw nothing on the dancing waves be-
low her. The sensitive lips were quiv-
ering, and the thin little hands were
claSping and unclasping each other in
the intensity of her thoughts.
oh, my TIE ORR" she murmured at
length, what is it that is stealing the
life from poor Miriamas heart? Has
she lived to see the day when you nc
longer love her? Oh, what has she
does not the Spirit Father teach her to
win it back. Lacking it, she cares not
to live. Perhaps she has grown old
and ugly; but, ah, were you loath-
some to look upon, to her you
would be as precious as everyday,
more! Had you once seen her carry
ing such a load, your displeasure would
have been great; but what matters it?
The visit of three days you left home
to pay has heightened into three weeks
and still you tarry. All, you beautiful
cruel sea! Why did you take from me
my boy? In taking him you took also
the heart of his father; who loves not
now his childlesS hOme;" and, with a
sObDing, quiyering sigh, she stoOps to
adjust the flax fastenings on her bun
die.
Just then shrill bird-like note with
strange intonations hOated to her ears.
She stood up and listened intently,
while the quick blood rushed into her
wasted cheeks. When it had ceased,
she put one finger between her lips and
waited back reply, and then, with
trembling fingers and heaying breast,
fastened her load and hurried away.
Returned at last" she murmured.
"Oh, heart, be still! Why do you bound
and beat so? Will he meet me with a
smile and kind word after his long
silence, or with harshness and frownsp
feel change is coming. Oh, how am
/ to greet him quietly when can
scarcely breathe?"
A few minutes brought her to the
kaiRgu, when Koturua met her.
"Where is he? Is he well? Does he
look happy? Oh, Koturua, am tremb-
ling with joy and fear-jOy that he has
returned, fear that he may greet me
unkindly! No"-resisting Koturua's
efforts to take the wOOd-"'tis too
heavy for you, and few more yards
will take it to the oven. Are the Wo-
men preparing food? Our chief must
be tired and hungry"
"Pahl Let him be tired, and let him
be hungry. twill do him good" said
the old woman viciously.
'Koturua, how dare you speak of
him so%-and her eyes flashed fire. is
he not your chief and my husband?
Never speak so again, or Miriama must
forget the affection that has bound her
to KOturua all her life, and speak to
her never again. There-never mind!"
with a quick revulsiOn of feeling as
she saw the faithful old eyes fill with
tears. "KotuTua did not mean it, and
her child loves her dearly-dearly! Oh,
there he is!"-as, passing round a hut,
they stepped into a yard where nearly
all the tribe were gathered.
TIE ORR was standing in the centre of
the group, talking. earnestly; but; as
Miriama appeared, he stopped sudden
ly. She dropped her load, and stood
before him, tall, slight, pale, with
and eyes fixed on the ground, as a
criminal stands before a judge.
He also stood still and looked at his
young wife for some moments in
silence, while an expression of regret
and something like remOrse stole over
his face.
"Has Miriama lost her tongue that it
says no word of welcome to her hus-
han1pr ha aSkpl nt LENGTH